A New Life
by Diarhyn Shadows
Summary: [Answer to Severitus Challenge] - Harry changes, and things from the past come to be seen in a new light. Who can help Harry when he doesn't even remember who he is?
1. Prologue The past haunts

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and most affiliated things belong to the wonderful J.K. Rowling. 'Tizrah', 'Silvanis' and a couple other things belong to me and myself though. Enjoy. 

­

Startled by the sharp burning in his arm, Severus Snape, former Hogwarts student, dropped the vial of aconite he was holding into the Wolfsbane potion, only barely able to get out of the way as the ruined potion exploded rather violently. Disgusted by the smell of burning flesh that emitted from the half-melted cauldron, he pulled up the sleeve of his robe to reveal the Dark Mark, pulsing black as the day it was burned into his flesh. The Dark Lord was calling. Severus cursed, for the Wolfsbane potion was one of the most difficult potions to brew, and he needed to know it to be able to pass his Potions Mastery. 

Severus whirled and left the room, robes billowing out behind him. He stalked to his chambers, wrenching open his wardrobe and reaching to the back to retrieve the black robes and white mask that were standard dress for anyone stupid, weak, or power-hungry enough to join the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Severus himself did not fall into any of these categories.

After hurriedly stripping himself of the work robes he wore to prevent his every-day ones from spills in his Potions lab, he donned the black robes, reminded of other times they had been worn.

The blood… the screams… the fear… Severus shuddered and pulled his wand from the holster by his thigh, checking to make sure his second one was fastened securely on the other leg. He pressed the end of his wand to the still-burning Mark, and disapparated to his master's abode.

--

With a _crack,_ Severus apparated into the entry of the mansion. Mansion may not have been the proper term for the building, because Severus could see that it was many times the size of the entrance of his own, almost as large as the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts. 'Castle' might have been a more appropriate name.

After taking a second to examine the room for potential threats, wand held at the ready; Severus stalked to the double doors at the other end of the entrance. He paused while the doors opened at their seemingly own accord, and took a breath before entering the room.

--

He walked in, bowing to Voldemort and kneeling to kiss the hem of his robes, before backing away to take his place in the Death Eater circle.

"Ah… nice of you to grace us with your presence Severus." Hissed Voldemort, seated in his dusty 'throne' on a raised dais at the end of the room. "Welcome to my quaint little meeting on this most obscure of days, November 31st! Now, I have a bit of… fun… planned for you all. Lucius! Bring them in!"

A door Severus had not previously noticed, to his dismay, opened. A line of women was led out, tied in ropes and clearly held under the Imperius curse.

The women had been blindfolded and Severus could see a weak Disillusion spell had been cast upon them. Their features were blurred, so the participating Death Eaters present could not identify them.

The Dark Lord swept an arm out toward the women.

"Severus… as one of my most… loyal… followers, you have the pleasure to pick first."

Severus stepped forward out of the circle, surveying the women presented to him in disgust. It was not unknown to Voldemort and his followers that his tastes did not run to those of the female persuasion.

He finally stopped in front of a woman slightly taller than the rest, whom he thought to have dark brown hair.

He glanced over to Voldemort, who looked vaguely amused.

"This one will do." Severus spat.

Voldemort snapped his fingers, and with a small 'pop' a cowed house-elf appeared, cringing at his feet. "Take Severus and his… charge… to one of the prepared rooms." He ordered.

The house-elf hesitated, and Severus could see that there was something it wanted to say.

Voldemort looked it over, raised his wand almost lazily, and cast the Cruciatus curse on the hapless elf.

"Don't **ever** disobey me again, elf." Voldemort hissed. "When I say now, I mean **now**."

He lifted the curse on the elf that lay there twitching. Another pillowcase-clad elf popped in and levitated the convulsing one out, disappearing, as another appeared to take Severus and the woman to their rooms.

--

The rooms were dimly lit, the flames of the candles revealing cream walls edged in a dark mahogany, and a four-poster with hanging curtains and silk sheets.

"Here is your rooms, Mister Severus sir. Tizrah is ready for whatever Mister Severus needs, Mister Severus sir."

Severus grunted at the elf, more occupied in restraining the woman than listening to the elf. The elf crept quietly out of the room while Severus bound the woman to the bed, banishing the blindfold to take a better look at her.

Her breasts were high and firm, showing a body not too far past puberty. His earlier estimations of her age were close, with the look of her body being that of a woman in her late teens-early twenties. The woman began to toss her head, opening her eyes to look around. Severus took the opportunity to back away, past the rings of light cast by the candles.

"So you're awake." He said silkily.

-- --

Lily woke naked, in a dark room. A cell was a better name, for all that was in it was a water bowl, a bucket she assumed was to be used for a toilet, and a mouldy mattress covered in a blanket.

She moved to peer into the water bowl, and found that her ankles were weighted with chains leading back to wall behind her. They allowed her limited movement to the bed, bowl, and bucket, but nothing further than that, and certainly not to the wooden door at the other end of the narrow cell.

Lily cautiously sniffed the water, wary of potions that might be in it. Deciding to take a risk, she took a sip of the water. To her surprise, it was clear and cold, obviously bespelled to have a never-ending supply.

Lily crawled over to the mattress despite her lack of clothing, curling up and giving in to her heavy eyelids.

--

She woke to the sounds of a large key turning in the lock of the door to her prison, and the chanted 'alohomora'.

The door squeaked open, and Lily scrambled back to the wall, grabbing a blanket to cover her naked body from the intruders. She crouched down, feeling the cold, slimy wall pressed up against her back. A head peered into her cell.

"The bitch ain't here" She heard a rough voice say.

She looked up from her corner and watched another black-robed, white-masked figure enter the cell. _Death Eaters,_ she thought.

He looked around the cell; spotting Lily huddled in the corner.

"No, there is our little guest." The new Death Eater said in a silky voice.

He lazily pointed his wand at her and incanted "Imperio!"

She felt her body go all floaty, like she hadn't a care in the world.

**_Get up, and come over to us_**, she heard a voice say.

**Why should we do what he says? Seems a bit stupid if you ask me. We don't even know them.** Another, quieter, voice replied

Lily began to fight the force invading her mind, causing the first Death Eater to swear and add his Imperius curse to the one she was already fighting.

The opposing voice died under the combined wills of the two men.

She stood up, leaving her blanket behind, and walked as far over to the Death Eaters as the chains attached to her ankles allowed.

They called a third one in, a short one that vaguely reminded her Imperio-ed mind of a rat. He scurried in and unlocked the chains at her ankles to enable her to follow them to another room.

This room wasn't as small as the cell she had been in, and reminded her of a combined torture chamber and Potions lab.

She was strapped to a table in the centre of a room, and released from the Imperius curse.

Lily immediately began to struggle against the bindings, feeling the straps holding her wrists secure chafe against her skin, burning hot. The rat-like Death Eater scurried over to a bench against the far wall of the chamber, on which about four potions had been placed.

He grabbed the first in line, a black potion in a flask.

He handed it to the silky-voiced Death Eater, while the last one held her mouth open so he could pour it in her mouth.

It tasted vaguely like chocolate, but with an aftertaste that reminded her of the time she ate dirt when she was little. The potion chilled her mouth, and she could feel the iciness of it travel down to her chest to settle in her lower stomach.

The second potion she was forced to swallow was a sickly green colour, and surprised her by tasting like the strawberry of a familiar potion. The underlying orange taste of it confirmed her fears. A fertility potion.

_Why would they need a fertility potion?_ Lily wondered to herself.

The third potion wasn't a potion at all, rather a paste that the silky-voiced Death Eater spread on her lower belly. She could feel the power in it – Dark power that made her feel ill as it spread through her body.

The fourth potion was blood red, in a dusty vial as though it hadn't been touched in decades. This potion didn't take like anything, and had no apparent effect. She tried not to think about it too much.

--

Bound, gagged, and under Imperio, Lily was led out from the holding room into another one, followed by the rest of the women. She could tell from the echoes of the room that it was big, rivalling the Griffindor common room in size.

Lily heard a vague hissing, confirming her worst fears. She had been taken prisoner by Voldemort, to be used as a 'prize' for his favourite, most loyal Death Eaters.

A soft whispering step came to what she guessed was the end of the lined of captured women, making its way up the line, pausing every once in a while. It paused in front of her, and she resisted a flinch at the none-too-gentle hands that turned her face from side to side, and pressed her shoulders to turn around.

A hand remained on the shoulder, and she could hear a surprisingly familiar voice say, "This one will do."

In a haze of disbelief and horror, Lily closed her eyes and faintly heard a curse, and more hissed speech. She was then led to another room, where she was bound to something soft, a bed, she guessed. She tossed her head to the side, opening her eyes to take a look at the room. She turned her head just in time to see a shadow of clothing join those outside of the circle of light provided by the candles.

"So you're awake" came the silky voice from the darkness.

There was only one person she knew with that voice, and the ability to blend into the shadows. Severus Snape. Her old Potions lab partner from Hogwarts. A Slytherin, but not one openly obsessed with pure blood and all that crap. He had his opinions, but kept them to himself.

--

Rape scene edited

--

Through the grey haze of unconsciousness, Lily heard voices. Not the ordinary, run-of-the-mill inner voices but real voices that belonged to actual people. Where was she? What had happened?

With the feel of her hands still bound above her to the bed, her memory returned in a rush. The kidnap, the potions… Severus.

She was untied from the bed, falling limp from the horror of the previous night.

A hand slapped her across the face, and in a fit of desperation and fear, she lashed out, catching her hand on the person's own hand, scratching their wrist and tearing a ring from their hand. "Stupefy" A strong voice called, and she sank into unconsciousness again, this time with the feeling of a tug on her navel.

A portkey.


	2. Chapter 1 Lily and the beginning

An owl flew through the open window, alighting on the back of a velvet chair in the study.

It was a small tawny owl – dirty… as though it had been collecting dust for fifteen years.

Attached to the leg of the owl was a package. An ordinary package wrapped in brown paper and tied with white cotton string.

What made this package interesting was the elegant script on the front:

Severus Snape

Hogwarts Castle

October 31st 1981

To be delivered: June 23rd 1996

Drawn underneath was a small lily.

--

Grumbling about 'old coots', Severus stalked through the dungeon passages to his chambers.

He had just been in a 'meeting' with Albus Dumbledore, current headmaster of Hogwarts. 'Meeting', to Albus, meant sitting down to drinking tea, eating lemon drops, and trying to coerce Severus into wearing robes of a different colour than his preferred black.

Severus shuddered at the memory, still fresh in his mind. He stopped at the painting of Salazar Slytherin that guarded his quarters from unwanted visitors.

"Fluffy socks!" Severus spat.

_Damn Dumbledore and his idiotic passwords_ thought Severus.

The portrait swung open to let Severus into his rooms.

Severus paused, taking his black robes off to reveal the black trousers and white shirt he had chosen to wear underneath. He then poured himself a shot of Firewhiskey, downing it in one smooth motion.

Finally noticing the owl, Severus stalked over to the velvet chair, relieving the owl of the package and sending it flying out the window with a sharp glare.

He placed the package on his desk, walking briskly over to the window in the wake of the fleeing owl, to slam it closed with a loud **bang!**

Severus sat down on the sofa that also took residence in his study, pouring himself another shot of Firewhiskey.

He picked up the package, not really reading the writing on the front, untying the string and taking off the plain brown paper. A letter and a shoebox fell out.

Deciding to open the letter first, Severus slit open the envelope and took the letter out. Reading the first two sentences, he dropped the letter even as his face paled to a chalk-white.

--

_Dearest Severus._

_I know you are probably wondering why I would be writing to you, fifteen years after I died, but I feel you have the right to know what has happened to me – to us._

_Harry is not James' son. He is yours._

_I always remembered, from school, the way your voice would glide over your words, like silk. I also remember the times I admired the way you walked, that graceful step borne of years of practice. You might be wondering why on earth I am bringing these things up here, now, but they are the things that gave you away._

_Do you remember the night Voldemort called you to his side, with a promise of 'fun', for his most loyal servants?_

_It was November 31st, and there was a row of women, Disillusioned and bound._

_I was one of those women. More specifically, the one you chose._

_But I'm getting ahead of myself._

_Before we were led into that room, Severus, we were fed a number of potions. From what I remember about you, you would have had no problem identifying them, but alas, as I was not aspiring to be a Potions Master, I had to wait and look them up._

_The first was a black potion. This one I found to be an ancient potion, used during experiments to help produce beings capable of living with large amounts of power in their bodies._

_The second was a fertility potion _

_The third was not a potion but a paste. I'm still not sure what this one but it felt ancient as well, spreading through my body, tainting it with Dark power, making me nauseous._

_The fourth potion was blood red. Dusty, like it hadn't been touched in a while. This one I feared the most, because it was an ancient binding potion, binding the person and any others with that person's blood to another's will. It was particularly horrifying because it had been mixed with the blood of that monster, Voldemort. It didn't really have a tangible effect, so I'm hoping that it didn't work._

_Then you chose me. Don't be sad at having to do that to me. You were one of the sweetest people I knew, even though I was a 'mudblood'. I stand by that knowledge, even knowing what you are and what you might have done._

_So, after that night, I got pregnant with the child, 'Harry', as we decided to call him. James never knew the truth. He also didn't know that I had cast an Appearance Charm on the baby, using my skills at Arithmancy to extend it to 16 years._

_This is the crux of the matter Severus. If my Sight proves correct, Voldemort himself is coming tonight to kill all of us._

_The charm will begin to wear off before the boy's 16th birthday, and Severus, you need to take care of him, please. If you've already met him, then you must think he's a clone of James. He isn't. That is just the charm, protecting him from those that might want to take his life._

_If you haven't met him yet, please, please, track him down. If I am right, he will be scared and he will need your help to get through this._

_Please Severus, track your son down, for his sake and mine._

_With all my heart, and all my love,_

_Lily Evans-Potter._

_--_

After regaining his composure, Severus picked up the letter again, pausing every now and then to think over things Lily had said.

He opened the shoebox next. It only had a few items in it. A birth certificate, for 'Harry'. Lily's arithmetic calculations showing how she knew it was that particular night that Harry was conceived. A ring Severus thought he lost. He now remembered that the woman he chose had ripped it off his finger that night.

Severus put the letter and the box aside, contemplating what the letter meant. If 'Harry' truly were his son… would he want a greasy Death Eater as a father?

-- --

At that particular moment Harry would have been happy just to get out of the Dursley's house, be it with his Death Eater father or not.

After he came home during the third week of June, Vernon had burned all this Hogwarts things – including his wand and Invisibility Cloak.

"Now we'll see how you can hocus-pocus Dudley if you don't go back to that wretched place." Vernon spat.

He grabbed Harry by the scruff of his neck, dragging him down the stairs and throwing him in the cellar.

"Wait there, you little piece of shit. I'll teach you to set those Dementoid things on your own cousin." He hissed.

Harry lay in the corner of the small room, too bruised and shocked by what had happened to even consider moving. He listened to Vernon's heavy footsteps on the floor above him.

The footsteps neared after a while, and Harry held his breath as the cellar door opened.

Vernon strode into the room, a maniacal grin on his face and a dark light in his eyes.

"Come here little nephew-mine." He taunted in a teasing voice.

Harry backed up, scared enough to move despite the pain of being thrown on the floor. He shuffled back as Vernon advanced on him, feeling the wall against his back as he hit it. Harry curled into a ball, trying not to let his uncle get a firm hold on him, but Vernon hit him savagely across the back, causing him to flinch and cry out.

Taking advantage of Harry's panic, Vernon hauled him up again, this time to lock his wrists and ankles to chains attached to the floor and ceiling. Harry was slumped, held up only by the wrist-chains. Vernon cackled to see his nephew hurting, and left the room again.

Through the red haze of pain that washed over him, Harry vaguely wondered what else would happen. There would be no one to rescue him this time.

He couldn't send an owl because Vernon broke Hedwig's neck. The Weasleys and Grangers wouldn't send owls because they could be intercepted. Dumbledore wouldn't come; he thought that the Dursley house was safe. Professor Lupin – Remus, Harry reminded himself – couldn't come, he was on a mission for the Order of the Phoenix

There was no one to rescue him this time.

--


	3. Chapter 2 White light

Harry's eyes snapped open as the dawn light filtered through the tiny cellar window. He looked around the room, trying to figure out why he wasn't in the Griffindor boys' dorm room, or even in Dudley's second room. 

His memory returned in a rush as he moved his feet under him, trying to relieve the pressure on his raw, chafed wrists.

Harry instantly regretted even that small movement as all the wounds Vernon gave him began to burn in renewed pain. Strangely enough, his back hurt too, right between his shoulder blades. He knew it hadn't been from Vernon, because his uncle had focussed on his chest. He had taken particular delight to carving 'freak' into his chest over and over.

--

Harry spent the rest of the day chained in the cellar.

Every creak of the house was Vernon coming to teach him another 'lesson', and Harry was afraid to close his eyes for fear his uncle would catch him by surprise.

Petunia came in at what Harry thought was around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, bringing in a glass of lukewarm water and half a piece of stale bread. Harry wasn't really hungry at all, but forced it down because he knew he couldn't survive long without either. He didn't notice that his hair had grown longer and straighter, changed colours, and acquired a greasy feel to it.

--

The days merged into weeks, with regular beatings coming from Vernon. Over and over Harry was called worthless, a freak, a burden on anyone that knew him, and a murderer. After the first couple of weeks enduring these 'lessons', Harry broke.

He no longer fought the chains that held him in place. He no longer screamed, or even cried out, when Vernon came at him with the knife or his bloodied belt.

Harry was silent.

Harry had retreated to the back of his mind, pushed over the edge.

It was comfortable there, and the soft white didn't hurt his eyes like the sunlight had.

Time didn't seem to exist there, and Harry had no idea that his features had changed so much as the weeks passed by. His fingers and palms lengthened. He grew taller. His face gained a more angular appearance. His shoulders broadened and his muscles toned, giving him the sleek appearance of a Muggle sprinter. His lifeless eyes even changed colour, acquiring a darker tint, closer to black than green.

--

More time passed, and Harry remained unaware of the world outside his mind. He didn't know that it was almost midnight on July 31st 1996, his sixteenth birthday.

This time Harry wasn't awake to watch the clock flick over to twelve o'clock, and he certainly didn't see the white light that surrounded his body chained to the wall back in the cellar.

In the flow of his mind, something changed.

A figure materialised in front of him, coinciding with the last tick of the clock over to 12.00 am August 1st.

It was his mother, Lily.

--

Harry was stunned. Even in his own mind, he had dropped his jaw, staring open-mouthed at the apparition.

"But? … Wha? … How? …"

"Hush Harry dearest." The woman, Lily, said. "It really is me. Honey, I know this is going to be a bit hard to take, but I don't have a lot of time to explain everything that has happened. All I'm asking is that you bear with me and save the questions till after. Okay?"

Unable to trust his voice, Harry nodded dumbly.

"Harry, the first thing I need to tell you is that James loved you very much. He did everything he could to save you from that monster, Voldemort, and even now as we watch over you, we're very proud of you, and all that you've accomplished."

At that point Lily walked over to Harry and wrapped him in a warm hug. It was the first he could ever remember by someone that actually loved him. He savoured the feel of her arms around him, waiting there till she stepped away.

"The reason I'm telling you this, baby, is because James isn't your real father."

And the bomb dropped. Lily looked at Harry anxiously, waiting for his reaction.

Harry just stood there, gaping at his mother. It didn't quite sink in, so he just nodded at her to carry on with what she needed to say.

"I'm not sure whether you've met him or not, but your real father is a man by the name of Severus Snape. He's a wonderful man. Granted, he's a bit sarcastic at times, but he is passionate about those he loves."

And so Lily carried on with her story, telling Harry what had happened the night he was conceived and how she kept James from knowing until after their death.

She also told him how proud she was of the things he had done, and how he didn't judge people at first glance.

"Okay Harry honey, my time here is running out, and I need to tell you some important things. The first is that you have turned sixteen in the outside world. It was a while ago, about a month now, because out there it's the beginning of September. Okay, back to the story. I know that the wizarding coming of age is seventeen, but yours is a year earlier because of who – what, you are. As well as that happening, the Appearance charm I cast on you will be completely gone by now. Instead of resembling James, you will be very like Severus, and some other changes you'll have to find out in time. All you need to know is that James and I love you very much, and no matter what happens, you will always be our baby Harry."

With this, Lily leant down and gently kissed Harry's forehead: a feeling that would stay with him through all the things to come.

"Stay safe, my little Harry."

It was the last thing he heard.

With a flash of brilliant white light, Harry knew no more.

-- --

It was the night of the Welcoming Feast, and Severus was worried. He hadn't seen Harry yet, and it was almost time for the First-years to be Sorted. They traipsed in, looking very small next to the older student lining the tables across the Great Hall.

Severus sneered at them, keeping the appearance of annoyance even though he was worried for his son. At that moment Dumbledore strode into the Hall, patched and frayed Hat in one hand, and a stool in the other.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. To the new students, I say welcome to your first year, and to the older ones, I say welcome back. Now! On with the Sorting!"

With that, the Sorting started.

"Aden, Sarah" Professor McGonagall started, only to be interrupted by a flash of brilliant white light.

Everyone in the Hall squinted, shading his or her eyes and trying to find the source of the glare.

After a second or two the flare died down to reveal a bloodied body lying on the floor, glowing faintly. Dumbledore sprang up from his seat, and hurried over to the body. As he got closer he could see it was a teenaged boy, only about 16 or so.

He waved his wand a few times, muttering spells under his breath. He turned back to the High Table and his eyes settled on Severus.

"Quick! Get Poppy from the Infirmary. Now!" Dumbledore snapped.

--


	4. Chapter 3 Found

Severus had no idea what was happening as he raced through the Castle to the Infirmary. He slammed open the double doors, and hurried though them. "Poppy! Poppy!" He shouted. He heard an answering grumble, and headed towards Madame Pomfrey's voice. 

He found her in her office beside the main Infirmary dorm.

"What do you want, Severus?" She snapped.

"Boy… Injured… Help… Now… You" Severus panted between breaths.

Just as he had got the message out, the Infirmary doors slammed open again, this time to admit McGonagall and Dumbledore, who was levitating the bloody body in front of him.

Madame Pomfrey gaped at the battered boy, horrified that a person could have that much blood on him and still stay alive.

"Poppy, I've put a Stasis spell on the boy, he has a weak, fluttering pulse, and I think you need to see this."

With that, Dumbledore levitated the body over.

--

To say Poppy was shocked would definitely be an understatement.

She stood there for quite a while, face pale and mouth open, staring at the boy.

Dumbledore had turned him over so he was on his stomach, and through the blood that stained the pale flesh on his back, Poppy could see that the muscles were overbuilt, maybe from swimming, she supposed, but knew this wasn't possible.

For there were two… appendages… coming out of his back, just in between his shoulder blades.

It was a bloody mess, but Dumbledore knew they were wings, as he had seen other beings with wings in his long lifetime.

But not wings like this.

These wings weren't wings at all. From the looks of it, they had been torn out.

His theory proved correct when Minerva muttered a cleaning spell under her breath. The blood and dirt vanished, giving them a clear view of the boy's pale back.

All that was left were two stubs of bone with a few mangled feathers attached. There was no sign of the majestic wings the boy had a few weeks prior, but the assembled company wouldn't know what they were like till the boy had healed.

--

After a few minutes of gaping, Poppy snapped into action.

Waving her wand frantically, she spat out spells almost as fast as she could think of them. Between watching the spells work, and casting others, she snapped at Severus to get one of the most powerful healing potions she knew of.

The Life Potion

Only a few people knew of it's existence, and all of them were in that room with the boy.

This potion worked like unicorn blood. It would bring someone back from the brink of death, with no apparent side effects. It would not work on those already dead, but would also not work on those that weren't close to death. The patient had to be close to breathing for the last time before it could be administered.

And this boy was.

--

Severus started running again, this time to get to his Potions Lab. The Life Potion was kept in a locked cupboard behind his desk. It didn't just need the Alohomora charm; it also needed a handprint and password to open.

"Alohomora!" Severus said impatiently, before pressing his hand to the door briefly and saying the password, 'Help'.

Once the cupboard door opened, he reached in and snatched the flask of potion, pausing momentarily to close the door again before racing out of the room, headed for the Infirmary again.

--

While Severus was out, Poppy maintained the Stasis charm on the boy, trying to keep him alive until Severus came in with the potion.

Dumbledore was on the other side of the room, conversing quietly with Minerva.

"What do you think we should do, Albus?"  
"I really don't know" Dumbledore replied, looking every year of his long life.

"I don't think…" Minerva started, but was interrupted by a very out-of-breath and flustered Severus, who was holding a flask of brilliant white potion, the colour reminding her of the light that brought the boy in.

"Here… potion… quick… boy…" Severus said between breaths.

Poppy swooped down on Severus and grabbed the potion from his hands, before changing direction to head for the dying boy on the third bed to the left of the Infirmary doors.

She gently opened his mouth and poured some of the potion in, stroking his throat gently to help him swallow it. She repeated this action while the rest looked on, waiting for some sign that they had reached the boy in time.

Finally the flask was empty, and Poppy fell into the chair beside the bed, releasing the Stasis charm.

"It's done, she said.

They all conjured chairs and sat around the boy's bed, waiting.

--

It was a long time before they could see any sign at all that the potion was working.

It began with his face. The bruises and cuts healed and the blood disappeared to reveal a long face with high cheekbones. The boy's hair regrew, starting with a raven-black at the roots of his hair, before fading to a red-black in the middle, then a blood red at the tips of his hair.

They could see the potion work its way through the boy's body, with his throat and chest healing next. The word 'freak' disappeared from his chest, leaving only a faint white scar to remind the four of what had been there. The wounds on his hips healed, and they all winced as it was followed by a sickening 'crack' as his leg broke and was reset from where it had partially healed badly before.

Dumbledore quickly Levitated the boy over onto his now-healed stomach, as he had correctly assumed the potion would be working on his back next.

They watched on fascination as the boy's wings started to regrow: stumps of bone replaced with glossy feathers. Each individual feather had a pattern almost the same as his hair: raven-black followed by red-black, then to a blood red at the edge.

Severus reached forward and picked up a feather that had fallen to the floor by his chair. Fooled by the soft look of the feather, he ran it along his finger, stopping as the razor-sharp edge cut into his thumb. He stopped and stared for a second, before muttering a healing spell.

He looked up, intending to watch the boy again, but was brought up short by the questioning looks of Minerva and Dumbledore. He sighed, and answered their silent question by handing over the feather for them to examine.

He turned his eyes back to the boy, who was fully healed.

And stared.

_That face,_ Severus thought. _That face… it's… mine_.

--


	5. Chapter 4 Awakening

It was all white. All that disturbing white colour.

And the scent… the scent of hospitals.

_Where am I? What happened? Who am I? How did I get here? Why don't I remember anything?_

And he couldn't. Places and a few faces came to mind: a large castle… an immaculate house with perfect gardens… a dark forest… a rat-faced man… a fluttering veil… a flash of white-blonde hair… a large man with no neck…

But that's all.

He opened his eyes and instantly regretted it.

The blinding white of the walls reflected the light of the sun that streamed in through the windows.

He squinted, and through the small gap, he peered around the room.

From the looks of it he was in some sort of small hospital room. There were seven beds around him, four to the right of the double doors, and four on the left side, including the one he was in.

He could faintly hear the sounds of activity, of human voices – a lot of them – floating in through one of the partially open windows across the room.

He lay there for a while, just taking in his surroundings. Presently, a woman came in. She was dressed in a blue button-up dress and a white apron. A nurse, he supposed. There was a thin stick tucked behind her ear – the word came to mind, a wand.

As soon as he recognised it, he wondered how he knew it. _Why would I remember that, but not know my own name?_

The nurse, seeing her charge was awake and alert, hustled over, taking her wand out.

He tensed, vividly reminded of the large man doing the same thing, but with a sharp, blooded knife.

She came closer, and he scrambled to get away, falling off the other side of the bed. The nurse, concerned for him, nearly ran over, causing him to back under the next bed to get away from her.

Unable to reach him, the nurse hurried out of the room.

He stayed there, huddled under the bed, wings wrapped around him, reminded of other times he barely recognised, that came with feelings of fear and pain.

He jumped as the nurse suddenly came back, throwing open the double doors, followed by an old man with a fake smile and a beard down to his toes. Another woman was following him; her hair tied up in a tight bun. She caught him looking at her from his refuge under the bed, and shot him a thin-lipped look he shrank away from.

The next man came in, and strangely enough, this was the one he knew wouldn't hurt him.

This man was dressed in long black robes, with pale skin, an angular face and greasy hair. He didn't look happy at all, shooting him a fierce glare.

Despite the obvious annoyance he caused the man, he felt safer that he was there.

--

When Poppy had come running, knocking frantically at his portrait, he opened it, intending to give her a thorough chewing out, but was stopped in his tracks when she burst out "He's awake!" He shot her a look. "I didn't do anything, honest! He just scrambled away from me! Fell clean off the bed and kept backing up!" Poppy blabbered, flustered.

Severus just shot her a sharp glare that made her close her mouth with an audible 'snap'.

He swept past her, heading toward the staff room to collect Minerva, and the Headmasters Office to inform Dumbledore.

He was bewildered as to why Poppy chose to come to him first, instead of going to Albus, which was protocol.

He thought of the boy, lying there broken and battered on the Great Hall floor. The boy with his face.

There were no other families with facial features like that. And to his knowledge, his father never had any more children after him.

_That means… No!_ Severus thought. _It can't be!_

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Poppy banging the Infirmary doors open.

He looked to the bed the boy was in that afternoon, but found it empty. He swept his eyes around the room, and was drawn to a movement under the next bed.

The boy was huddled there.

To his surprise, when he shot a fierce glare at the boy, he didn't shrink back. Instead, the boy's fear seemed to lift a little, and his black-green eyes lightened. In what, he didn't know, but took it as a good sign.

--

_Who are these people? What are they here for?_ The boy thought.

He slid under the bed a bit more, determined to make it as hard for them to hurt him as possible.

The dark man – _the safe man_, he thought – noticed this with no further reaction than a widening of his eyes.

He then turned to his companions, conversing in voices just too low to hear.

They seemed to be having an argument about something, with both the beared man and the stern woman looking shocked, disbelieving and angry. The dark man had a face of black thunder, looking at him every couple of second.

The argument seemed to come to a close after a while, and all four just stood there, looking at the figure huddled under the bed.

It was making him uncomfortable, so he moved further into the shadows cast by the bed.

The dark man approached him slowly, holding out one hand and moving towards his refuge. As he reached the bed, the dark man crouched down to his level, peering at him.

He figured that the dark man wouldn't hurt him, so he uncurled himself, tucking his wings back, and crept forward a little.

The dark man smiled softly, and in a voice so low he almost didn't hear it, said "That's it. Come on out. I won't let anyone hurt you while I am here."

The boy gave him a fleeting smile in reply, then crawled out from under the bed, eyes darting about he room looking for danger.

"Hey." The dark man spoke again. "Can you tell us who you are and where you're from?"

_What? How can I tell then something I don't even know?_ His wings fluttered in consternation.

Mistaking the frustration on his face for confusion, the dark man switched languages, talking in a dialect he didn't recognise.

He shook his head, and the man switched languages again. They repeated this for a while, going through about nine languages.

This impressed him, because somewhere he knew that most people could only master about three or four fluently, before they began to run into problems.

Frustrated, the dark man turned to the bearded man, shooting him a look that told everything. The bearded man took a step forward and did the same thing. He had understood most of the languages both of them spokes, but was reluctant to say anything.

Finally the nurse, noting what was going on, brushed the bearded man aside.

She started talking in English, gesturing with her hands at the same time. The meaning of each gesture immediately sprung to mind.

" Who are you? How did you get into our Hall? We don't want to hurt you, we just need some answers."

She waited and to the other three she explained. "I'm a half-blood. My muggle mother was deaf, so I learned universal sign language to talk to her. Sign language is a form of silent talking by using had movements, and every movement means something. I noticed the boy was watching your every move, and my mother used to do that as well. That's how deaf people get a sense of what you're talking about. Some can also read lips, and can get meanings from the shape of your mouth when you say things."

The three nodded, understanding.

--

The boy sighed, and his hands flew in reply.

"I don't know. The last thing I actually remember is waking up here. There are a few things that are running round in my head, but none of them make any sense. I don't know my name, my parents, where I live… nothing about myself."

The nurse translated for the other three.

For a second, the boy's lips curved upward in a small smile as he signed again. "By the way, you might want to tell the dark man that I actually know English. His face was funny though."

The nurse laughed, then turned back to continue as translator.

-- --

Severus stood there as Poppy and the boy – his son – conversed with their hands. _How could anyone talk like that? Stupid muggles._ He thought.

Severus was annoyed that Minerva and Dumbledore didn't believe that the boy had been abused. He knew the sign, and the boy had all of them.

Pushing Poppy to one side, he advanced on the boy, muttering, "I'm sorry about this."

The boy looked confused for a second until Severus forced an angry look on his face, moving towards him. He raised his fist as if to strike the boy.

The effect was instantaneous.


	6. Chapter 5 In Severus' care

His eyes widened in fear and he scrambled back to his refuge-bed. In one impossibly smooth movement, he ducked under it to hide, signing frantically.

He had wrapped his wings around him subconsciously, using them as a shield.

Sickened by this vulnerable display, Severus whirled around and scowled at the three onlookers.

"Now do you believe me?" He spat. "That boy has obviously been abused, and for a very long time by the looks of it."

He approached the boy again, opening his mouth to ask him to come out. Surprisingly, the boy got out even before he had drawn breath. Obedient, eyes downcast, he was signing the same word over and over.

Severus shot a questioning look at Poppy, who replied miserably. "Sorry."

He sighed and slowly put his hands out, catching the boy's and stopping his silent words. "There is nothing to be sorry for." Severus stated firmly.

Albus, watching this display, came up behind him, intending to talk to the both of them. The boy, catching his sudden movement, clutched Severus, pulling him close and putting him in front of him, before Albus.

Dumbledore sighed, stopping where he was and speaking from there.

"Don't worry boy, I've no cause to harm you." He stated calmly. "Seeing as the boy is most attached to you, would you look after him? Your quarters are the most isolated, and the boy obviously trusts you more than the rest of us."

"Whatever." Severus grumbled.

"Good." Dumbledore replied. "Funds will be transferred into your Gringotts account for whatever you may need to purchase."

"Presumptuous old fool." Severus mumbled under his breath.

Severus turned to stalk out of the Infirmary, but was stopped in his tracks as Minerva, forgotten until then, spoke up.  
"Don't you think you ought to do something about his… err… wings? I mean, they're not really inconspicuous."

Reminded of them, Severus turned back to the boy, taking out his wand. "Don't worry, this won't hurt at all." He assured the boy.

Quivering like a leaf, the boy stood in place, watching Severus walk around behind him and tap each wing with his wand, Disillusioning them. Awed by the seemingly unfamiliar magic, the boy reached behind to touch them, even though he couldn't see them.

Severus stepped forward, intending to warn him of the sharp edges, but quickly shut his mouth as the boy stroked each wing without apparent injury.

"Come on!" He said gruffly once the boy had finished.

The boy sighed softly and followed Severus through the empty corridors.

"Is your name Severus, sir?" The boy asked in a soft, husky voice.

Unnerved, Severus stopped and looked at the boy before turning back towards the dungeons. "Yes." He replied. _So the boy really isn't deaf. Interesting._

The two walked the rest of the way in silence.

--

Severus stopped in front of the portrait of Salazar Slytherin that guarded his chambers.

"Lord Slytherin," Severus began. "I request that you let the boy in when he approaches you. As there is no indication that he will speak willingly in the presence of others, he cannot give a password."

The regal portrait nodded in understanding.

"I also respectfully request that no one but myself, the boy and Albus Dumbledore be allowed in without the password, which from this moment I am changing to 'Snape Legacy' "

Again, the picture nodded.

With that Severus entered his rooms.

-- --

The portrait swung open to reveal a large common room. It was made of dark grey slabs and surprisingly the floor was heated underfoot.

Two of the walls were lined with bookshelves, packed from top to bottom with books. There were four velvet armchairs and a sofa around the room, and a mahogany desk sat in one corner.

In the wall opposite the portrait entrance, there were two doors, both with a plaque set at about eye-height. On one was inscribed 'SAVS' and the other was blank.

The boy guessed the blank one was his, and the other was for Severus.

On the left wall was an open doorway to a kitchen, featuring a small breakfast bar down one side.

On the right wall he saw another closed door, labelled 'Study'.

Severus paused in the middle of the room, turning to the boy.

"You have free reign of these quarters, however there are a few exceptions. Under no circumstances are you allowed in the study. Not at all. Also, you are only permitted in my bedroom in the event of a dire emergency."

Finished his speech, Severus whirled and left for his room, robes billowing out behind him.

--

_He's so… nastily nice._ The boy thought. _Does that even make sense? _– He shrugged. – _I've never had a room to call my own. Well, not that I remember._

--

He didn't think that he needed to go into his room just yet. He only had the clothes he appeared in, and he was wearing them, having changed before leaving the Infirmary.

There wasn't much point.

Staying in the common room, he sat tentatively on one of the armchairs by the fire, curling up to rest his chin on his knees. He wrapped his arms around his shins, holding them close as he stared into the flames.

He didn't really know how long he sat there before Severus came in, halting in the doorway, watching him. Severus had a small smile on his face and the boy knew he wasn't aware that the boy had seen him.

He turned his head and looked at Severus, resting his cheek on his knees. By this time the smile was gone, replaced by a careful neutral expression.

Severus nodded at him, stepping forward into the room and taking a seat in the armchair opposite him.

They both sat there for a while, staring into the fire, before Severus spoke up.

"I can't keep calling you 'boy', you know." He said quietly, but only got a shrug in reply.

"You need a name."

The boy shot him a look that said 'no, really?'

"Since I am, for most intents and purposes, your guardian and caregiver, would you think it out of place if I named you?" Severus asked softly.

For the first time since he had set eyes on the boy, he genuinely looked somewhat happy. He was nodding even before he had finished the sentence. Severus then informed the boy that he would think on it, and present him with a name at breakfast.

-- --

The boy turned back to the fire after Severus left, thinking over all that had happened to him.

_Why are they doing this? _He thought. _They don't even know who I am. **I** don't even know who I am. I could be a mass murderer for all they know._

_What do I have that they want? _His more paranoid voice spoke up.

Shaking his head to clear it, he got up and entered his room.

It was al lavish as the common room.

The walls and floor were the same dark grey slab, and the windows were edged in a dark brown wood, curtained with a sky blue fabric.

Between the two windows there was a four poster bed and a small side-table with three drawers. The table and bedposts matched the wood that edged the windows.

The quilt was the same shade as the curtains, adding a bit of colour to the room. On the wall to the left of the bed was another portrait of Salazar Slytherin. The boy bowed gracefully thinking, _What is it with this guy?_

On the wall to the right of the bed there was a bookshelf. It covered most of the wall from ceiling to floor, and was stuffed with books.

It was a grand room, but the boy thought that darker colour would suit it much better.

He walked up to the window, pulling aside the now dark-red curtains. The boy noted the change absently but was more interested in the view.

He peered out the window, and was surprised by the large yellow eye peering in.

Black-green eyes met yellow. They stared at one another for a while, before the yellow eye blinked and moved, replaced by ice-white skin and then deep blue water.

The boy wondered what happened, but in the water he saw a large form. A single glowing eye blinked – _winked_ – at him, and with a jolt he realised it must have been a squid. _I giant squid!_ He thought to himself.

Daunted by the meeting, he turned back to his room, only to find it different from when he left it.

Light blue curtains and quilt had changed to a dark red. Light coloured wood on the bed, bookshelf and side-table had darkened to almost black.

He gasped, panicked. _I changed it! What are they going to do?! I messed with it!_

He had backed up to the crevice between wall and bookshelf. Whimpering, he rocked back and forth as fearful thoughts plagued his mind.


	7. Chapter 6 Surprises

Startled from his sleep, Severus lay still, trying to decipher what woke him up.

Hearing nothing, he decided to go back to sleep. Just as he was drifting off, he heard it again: a soft sobbing breath.

Wondering what it was, Severus reached over to get his wand. He followed the sound, and found himself in front of the door to the boy's room.

He softly pushed the door open, and blinked.

The boy was nowhere to be seen.

_Stupid boy._ Severus growled to himself. _Never should have_ –

His thoughts were cut off as he heard the whimper, the noise that woke him up.

After a closer inspection of the room, Severus caught a movement in the corner of his eye.

He turned, and wedged into the gap between bookshelf and wall, he found a pair of black-green eyes glistening with tear. He crouched down to the boy's level, looking at him for a second before reaching a hand toward him. The haze in the boy's eyes darkened for a second, before Severus heard a soft whisper of movement.

Wondering where the sound came from, Severus looked around the room, seeing nothing before turning back to the boy.

He heard the same whisper of movement, and looked down to find the same black-green eyes he was looking at earlier.

Though this time the body they occupied was a bit different.

Where previously there was a boy, now there was a snake, a spitting cobra to be exact. The cobra's scales were black, every now and then catching the light and giving off a flash of blood red. The black-green eyes were luminous, and a small tongue flickered out, tasting the air.

Severus stepped back, wondering what to do with his charge-turned-snake.

Finally, it all clicked into place. _When they look for him, they're looking for a boy, not a snake. I must have frightened him, made him feel unsafe. I know that as an animal, they only have basic thoughts when the instincts take over._

He sighed, and stalked out of his rooms with the armful of poisonous cobra he had acquired whilst contemplating the boy.

--

Still dressed in his nightclothes, Severus hurried up to the Headmasters Office, careful not to drop the boy… snake… whatever.

After spitting the password ('sour gummy worms') at the gargoyle, he stepped onto the staircase, letting it carry him up to the office.

Severus stopped at the door, and was just about to knock when he head Dumbledore say "Come in Severus, what are you doing up this late?"

He sighed, and wondered how Dumbledore managed to do that time after time, as he opened the door and stepped in.

"Greetings Albus." He said to the old man sitting at the desk. "I was wondering if I could consult with you about our… new arrival."

The pyjama-clad Headmaster raised an eyebrow at Severus, who sighed and reached into his robes to extricate the black cobra that had worked its way next to his skin on the journey there. He placed it on the desk.

"Then I suppose you can do something about this new development then."

Severus thought that seeing Albus look genuinely surprised was almost worth the trek up there. He hid a smile and gently picked the snake back up, sitting on one of those infernal squishy armchairs.

Dumbledore just sat there stunned for a second, before blinking and shaking his head. He pulled his wand from one of his many pockets, and cast a spell Severus didn't recognise.

When nothing happened, Dumbledore frowned and cast the spell a second time, firmer.

This time Severus could feel the power in the air, He shivered as something tickled his chest, and felt a weight rest on his stomach.

After a minute Albus sighed and sat back down, shrugging at the look Severus sent him. "An old spell." He explained. "Sends any normal Animagus back into their natural form. Unless of course, they are a Metamorphmagus, shapeshifter or Multi-Animagus, as they have enough power to retain their form. Fortunately, these are rare so most of the time one does not have to worry."

Rolling his eyes, Severus reached back into his robes, but instead of feeling cool scales against his skin, his fingers encountered sleek fur. Surprised, he pulled out a large armful of black fur, which mewed softly and stretched, revealing itself to be a half-grown panther with black-green eyes.

Severus was the first to break the stunned silence. "Well I guess that answers that question. He is definitely not a muggle or a normal Animagus."

"Hmm…" Albus replied. "Only the most powerful wizards are multi-Animagus. I myself can take two different forms, that of eagle and phoenix. That boy is most definitely a wizard, and a powerful one at that. Severus, tomorrow it is your duty to get the boy the necessary equipment. Oh, and keep an eye out for any more surprises."

Severus nodded before gathering the animal up and stalking back down into the dungeons to his rooms. Little did he know that the boy – cub's mind was racing.

--

_Wizard? Me? I can't be a wizard, I'm nobody. Just a freak and a murderer. What was this Animagus thing they were talking about? _Suddenly the image of a dark-haired man turning into a stag flashed through his mind. _Oh… people that can turn into animals._

_Maybe if I can do that, they wouldn't throw me out. I'm a freak, so they have every right to. I like the dark man, Severus. He's nice._

Another voice spoke up. _But they change… they always do. Don't let down your guard, and don't trust them. They will turn on you, and it will hurt. Don't trust them._

--

Severus greeted Lord Slytherin with a nod before striding into his rooms.

Not knowing what else to do, Severus settled the panther on the bed, curled around it, and went to sleep.

--

Severus woke to the pre-dawn light streaming in through the top window in the high vaulted ceiling. He opened his eyes sleepily and stretched, feeling his joints crack.

In a rush, the previous night's event came back to him, and he searched the bedclothes frantically only to find no sign of boy, cub or snake. He searched the rest of the room in vain, still not finding him.

He walked into the common room, and stopped still, taking out his wand.

There, curled up in one of the chairs, was the bundle of sleek fur Severus had taken up to Dumbledore last night.

Putting away his wand, he moved into the kitchen where he began to make breakfast. Severus always made his own meals. House-elves were too incompetent to be bothered with.

Once the bacon, eggs, toast and juice were ready, he carried the tray out to the common room. Putting the tray down on the low table in the centre of the room, Severus sat down on the sofa opposite the boy.

After a couple seconds the ball of fur moved, changing silently back into the winged boy. Severus smiled, and began to tuck in to the breakfast he had prepared.

He was about halfway through when he looked up and saw the boy in the same place that he had left him: curled in the armchair with his wings wrapped around him, eyes downcast.

Severus sighed, put down his knife and fork, and addressed the boy.

"You can eat, you know. I'm not going to deprive you of food because you did something unexpected." He said.

The boy looked up with hopeful eyes. Severus nodded, and went back to eating his own breakfast.

He watched the boy out of the corner of his eyes, and was satisfied to see him eating the toast in front of him politely.

Once both of them were full, Severus sat back and looked at the boy.

"You know what we talked about last night? About your name?" He asked.

The boy nodded in reply.

"Well I need a small amount of your blood to complete a Genus potion I have made. It will tell me who your parents are."

Again, the boy nodded.

"Good." Severus said. "Follow me."

--

He led the boy across the corridor into his Potions classroom. Above his desk there was a locked cabinet which Severus opened, and reached in to bring out a bubbly green potion.

He placed it on the desk and handed a small jewelled knife to the boy. "Three drops. No more, no less." He ordered.

With a nod the boy raised the knife and calmly cut into his wrist. Severus watched in amazement as he unflinchingly let precisely three drops of blood fall into the potion.

Severus then stirred the potion six times counter clockwise and waited.

Sure enough, after a few seconds two faces with names appeared in the air above the potion.


	8. Chapter 7 A New Day

With a jolt Severus recognised his own name and face in the air beside Lily's. Severus Aidan Victor Snape, and Lillian Faith Evans-Potter.

This was his son.

_This means… Harry?! How can it be? The abuse… the wings… what happened?_

The potions! They must have worked. He's mine. Oh… I have a son. Albus and Minerva mustn't know of this, ever.

The boy just looked on with curious eyes. He waited for Severus to regain his composure, and tell him who his parents were.

Severus sighed and led the boy back to his rooms, taking the potion with him.

"It all started…"

And Severus began to explain what had happened between himself and Lily. Strangely, the boy felt that he had already been told this, in another place and another time.

Severus left out any mention of 'Harry Potter', only saying that after the November night he hadn't known about him until the letter and package had arrived.

He impressed upon the boy that, had he known, he would have raised him himself, even though he was a Death Eater.

"So…" He concluded. "That's how I'm your father. Always know that I'm here for you, and I will never force you to follow Voldemort like I mistakenly did. That is your own choice."

Severus stopped there and looked at his son, trying to gauge his reaction to this revelation.

He was then very startled when he found himself enveloped by two skinny arms. After a second or two he returned the hug, revelling in the warmth the simple show of affection gave him.

When they had both pulled away, Severus took a good look at his son. The boy was still wearing the clothes he had appeared in, so he decided to remedy that as soon as possible.

"Can I take you out tomorrow and get you the stuff you'll need? We need a wardrobe for you, and some robes and suchlike. Oh, and a wand. Would that be okay with you?"

His son nodded.

Severus gave him a small smile and carried on.

"Since I'm teaching classes today, I was wondering whether you wanted to accompany me."

This time Severus received a shrug in reply, but took it as a yes.

"Now, would you like your name?" Severus asked. The boy's eyes lightened and he gave a smile and a nod.

"Good." Severus smiled. "What do you think of Silvanis Alexander Snape?"

The boy seemed to think it over, mouthing the words as if to taste them. After a little while the boy – Silvanis – launched himself at Severus, giving him another hug. He seemed to realise what he was doing after a second, and broke away almost as abruptly as he started. He sat back in his armchair, looking at the floor.

"I guess you like it then." Severus said, amused. "Go get changed, and come with me to my class."

--

It was about five minutes till the start of Severus' first Potions class of the day. It was third-year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, so Severus set out to keep up his 'evil teacher' image.

Silvanis was sitting on the edge of his desk, wings Disillusioned and knees tucked up to his chin, watching Severus set up the ingredients.

Suddenly, the bell rang, and Silvanis, startled by the sound, jumped, falling off the edge of the desk.

At that very moment, the two Houses filed in, silent and obedient.

Severus calmly walked behind his desk, inwardly concerned for his son. He sighed at what he found.

Startled by the bell, and panicked by the rush of students, Silvanis had retreated into one of his Animagus forms, the spitting cobra.

--

Lifting the snake from the floor, he waited for a second as his son's lithe form wrapped itself around his shoulders.

That done, Severus turned back to the class.

"This is another year of Potions. Dunderheads like yourselves have little or no place in my classes, so those who don't keep up will be dropped. Do try and surprise me by keeping ahead in the work, if it's not above your mental capacity."

He unwound Silvanis and placed him back on his desk.

"The cobra is named Silvanis, and anyone I catch tormenting, or even touching him will instantly lose 200 points from their house and will die the slowest, most painful death I can think of."

He paused to write the potions steps on the board.

"This is the most basic Colour-changing potion. It will turn the drinker the colour associated with their mood for a few minutes." Watching the unmoving students, Severus snapped. "Well? What are you waiting for?!"

--

There were more accidents than usual in that class. Severus knew of at least three students who had flinched and dropped an extra ingredient into their cauldrons as Silvanis hisses softly at them. He would have great fun writing 'F' on some of the know-it-all Ravenclaw papers.

As soon as the bell rang for the end of class, there was a huge rush as all the students ran for the door, gossiping about 'that Snape vampire and his great bloody snake!'

Severus laughed softly, and placed Silvanis the cobra back on his desk. His next class was sixth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins. _Joys._ Severus thought. _Weasley and Granger. What fun._

He leaned against the front of his desk, waiting for the class to arrive. Silvanis lay curled on the desk behind him.

The Gryffindors entered first, fearful of being late. A couple minutes after the bell the Slytherins traipsed in, confident of their teacher's bias.

Inwardly Severus frowned. How could he have ever let it go this far?

Annoyed, he took 20 points off for every minute they were late. He silently deducted 100 points in total.

After they were all in the room, Severus noticed that each and every eye was transfixed on the front of the class. He knew it wasn't him, so he turned around to try and see what they were looking at.

His eyes landed on his desk, and Severus suppressed a sigh.

There, sitting obediently on the desk, was a half-grown shadow wolf. _Not another form._ Severus thought.

Shadow wolves were notoriously XXXXXXX Ministry rated creatures. Rare and illegal, meaning that Hagrid would do anything to get his hands on one. Even a half-grown one.

Shadow wolves were named so because of their ability to blend into shadows. They looked much like ordinary wolves, set aside only by their size and fur. Shadow wolves were huge, reaching up to a grown man's waist. Their fur was of the darkest black, and tapered to a mist that haloed the wolf's body. This gave the wolf a hazy appearance, helping to hide it.

This creature was also known to be unpredictable and violent, because of their ability to move without casting shadow, footprint or sound. Utterly silent, they could move without ever leaving a trace.

Little else was known about shadow wolves, as after capture they were lost in the shadows.

--

Inwardly Severus sighed again, and picked Silvanis up off the desk. He was lighter than he appeared to be, far too light for his hip-high size.

"Contrary to popular belief, I am not trying to kill all of you. Just some of you." He sent a fierce glare to the Gryffindors.

"This is Silvanis, and I will give you the same warning I gave to the other class. Torment or even touch him and you instantly lose 200 points from your House, and will dies the most painful death I can think of. I only have limited control over him, so don't be stupid. He will be appearing with me around the school. Also, if anyone sees a black cobra or panther, they are to notify me immediately. No exceptions."

Severus put the wolf of the floor next to his desk and began teaching the class.

--

It was about 20 minutes into the class when Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, Harry Potter's old friends, met Silvanis. Strangely enough, he felt drawn to the pair.

Severus overheard them talking at the Feast the previous day.

"I bet Harry's just faking it to get more attention."

"Ron, I know. I reckon that he's gone over to You-Know-Who. I mean, he didn't write. At all. And he didn't seem to fight He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named when he was possessed by him."

"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say."

"Of course. Now, do you know anything more about what happened to that body that appeared in the Hall?"

"Shh Hermione. Dinner is about to start, and I was to get some sausages before Dean hogs them all."

--

Weasley and Granger froze fearfully as Silvanis came up to their table.

After a moment or two of staring at the pair, he came closer, leaning in to look a bit closer at them. Ron sat perfectly still as Silvanis sniffed him, taking in his scent of home baking and open fields.

He moved over to Hermione, intending to sniff her as well, but instead caught a nose of the mouldy ginger they had been adding to their potion.

Silvanis sneezed, causing the jumpy Hermione to scream.


	9. Chapter 8 Meeting Draco Malfoy

Wow! I have reviewers! I'm so excited. -**Dances around like a maniac-**

I would like to thank:

**Cdkobasiuk:** You were my first reviewer. Hands out a cookie

_Ygraine: _I am so wanting to continue. The past few chapters I wrote while on a very boring holiday at cook's beach. Lol

**Lady Jillyan Malfoy-Potter**: Wow! It's an update!

_Prd2bAmerican18_: Wow. I might have a favourite! Gives a big hug Yah! Also, Dumbledore isn't worried about Harry because he's a manipulating bastard and has his Order of the Flaming Turkey checking it out. Later chapters will explain it better.

**Wolflady**: Thanks! It's wonderful to have people that like my stories.

_Leena Asakura_: I love writing. I won't be stopping anytime soon!

Oh oh!

Poll 1: Which house should Silvanis be in?

Poll 2: I'm thinking of easing this into slash, what do you guys think?

­­­­­

The scream shot through the quiet Potions room, causing some people to jump, and Silvanis to shy back, swiftly changing back into his easily hidden cobra form.

Severus stalked over to the shocked pair, concerned for his son.

As he came closer Hermione started hurriedly explaining. "I don't know what happened! He just came at me and went to bite me so I screamed and… and he changed." She finished lamely.

Severus just shot her a glare and reached down to pick up Silvanis.

To his surprise, Silvanis just hissed at him softly and slithered over to where the Slytherin students had chosen to sit.

Severus just shrugged inwardly and kept one eye on his son.

--

Not good, not good. I scared here, the bushy-haired one. Maybe he just wants to catch me so he can hurt me. Escape, must escape. Doesn't go much over here. Wait, what's that? White blonde hair… I remember that. Maybe he knows who I am. Maybe he won't hurt me.

--

Silvanis spent a second just tasting the air before heading towards Draco Malfoy.

Draco was no stranger to snakes, as his father routinely entertained Voldemort and subsequently his overgrown serpentine pet, Nagini.

He reached down and held out his hand, keeping still while Silvanis flicked his tongue out over his hand.

Deciding that Draco was okay; Silvanis worked his way up Draco's arm and behind his neck, stopping to rest his head on Draco's shoulder. He was draped over the back of his neck, with his tail curled round Draco's upper arm.

From his vantage point Silvanis could watch what everyone was doing. He looked at the ingredients Severus – his father – had set out, and recognised almost everything. Mouldy ginger, some type of blood, shrivelfig, frog's legs, and newt. From somewhere in his mind Silvanis knew that they were making an advanced invisibility potion, and that the silver-haired boy would have to add six frogs legs next.

When Silvanis saw the teen reach for the newt on his desk, he hissed loudly, slithering down his arm to the desk. From there he reached over with his mobile tail and gently took the newt from his hand, then pointed to the frog's legs.

Looking up at the boy's face, he could see the boy thinking the recipe over, and saw his eyes light up, and the small nod he gave when he realised the snake was right.

Draco had figured the animal was intelligent, and saw its knowledge of potions merely as a side effect of belonging to his godfather, Severus Snape.

Though, he wondered why he had never seen the snake before on his visits, or at the school. Draco shrugged to himself, dismissing the thought.

--

Between the two of them, Silvanis and Draco managed to finish the potion first, putting a sample in a vial for Severus to mark, and smuggling the rest out in a flask Draco slipped into his robes.

Finally the bell rang, and Draco stayed behind to give his godfather the cobra. He reached up behind his neck, intending to lift the snake over his shoulders, but was stopped in midair by the feeling of a serpentine mouth and fangs lightly grasping his hand. He hadn't been bitten, but it was most definitely a warning.

Scared, Draco looked at Severus, who was hiding a smile.

"Guess he wants to stay with you, Draco. Don't worry, just keep an eye on him and if he changes into either shadow wolf or panther, don't be too alarmed, just come see me when you next have the chance." Severus said.

Draco nodded, pleased. He had liked working with the snake, and the feeling of his weight on his shoulders was comforting.

--

Draco strolled into the Great Hall for lunch casually, unmindful of the stares and whispers that came in his wake.

He sat down at the far end of the Slytherin table, having been ostracised from the House because of his decision not to follow Voldemort.

Over the holidays he had expressed his wish not to follow Voldemort, and was thrown out of the Malfoy Mansion because of it. Luckily enough, Draco had his own savings. His mother had been setting aside money for him, which could only be accessed by him. He used this to find a place to stay till the end of the school holidays.

He had thought to go stay with his godfather, but remembered he was a Death Eater too, and was afraid that he would turn him in to his father.

Brought out of his musing by a low hiss, he looked at Silvanis to find that the Hall was almost empty, and that there was only 10 minutes till the next class started. Thankfully, Draco had a free period next, so he was able to wander the school. Draping Silvanis around his neck again, he headed down to the Slytherin dorms.

They were on the same floor of the dungeons as Severus' rooms; Silvanis realised, and gave a snake-sigh when he caught sight of yet another portrait of Salazar Slytherin. This time the man was working in a potions lab, making a purple potion Silvanis didn't recognise.

Draco stopped in front of the picture, saying the password, "Slytherin Pride".

"Really," he said, maybe to Silvanis, "Don't you think that _someone_ would think of a better password? Anyone could get into that. Bloody idiots."

He didn't see Silvanis' confused look, which looked rather comical on a snake. He had stalked down to the left-hand corridor where his father had managed to secure for him a Prefect's room. That was before he had kicked him out.

Draco dumped his bookbag on a chair, and laid Silvanis down on the bed so he could get changed into more comfortable clothes than his school uniform.

_The biy is nice. _Silvanis thought. _He hasn't even been angry at me. I like him. I wonder if we could be friends. I would like to have a friend I could remember._

Feeling reasonably safe, Silvanis changed silently into his human form, not hampered by the 'pop' that gave normal Animagi away when they changed.

----

Finished with getting dressed, Draco turned round to pick up the cobra but was stopped in his tracks by a pair of black-green eyes right in front of his face, staring into his own pale grey ones.

Draco whipped out his wand, backing up a step and speaking angrily to the stranger.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in? I'll have you know that I'm Draco Malfoy, and my father would not be happy about people sneaking into my rooms."

"Who are you?" He finished up more curious than angry.

Silvanis, whose eyes were wide with fear, relaxed at that point, somewhat assured Draco wouldn't hurt him.

"I'm Silvanis." He said in his quiet, husky voice.

"That's stupid!" Draco retorted. "Silvanis is my godf- Severu- Professor Snape's snake, not some scrawny boy."

Silvanis sighed almost inaudibly before smoothly and silently changing form into an exact replica of the snake Draco had held before.

"Oh." Draco said, crestfallen. He glanced around the room before leaning in and asking, "Can you do the wolf form too? I saw you change, back in the classroom."

A hint of the real Draco shone through for a second, but was quickly hidden by the Malfoy mask.

"Yes." Silvanis replied, and proceeded to show Draco both his wolf and panther Animagus forms.

Draco, not ever having seen a panther before, stared in wonder for a while before smiling and nodding appreciatively.

Unknown to Silvanis, the Disillusion spell on his wings had broken, unable to take the strain of being warped by the magic used to complete the Animagus transformations.

--

After prancing round the room a bit as wolf and panther, Silvanis shifted back to human form, taking a second to gather his bearings. Changing from four legs to two wasn't the easiest thing to do.

He glanced back up, only to see Draco just standing there staring at him.


	10. Chapter 9 Stories

Reviewers!

_Silverblue-55:_ Thanks. I like to know that people would like to read more… and I'll keep the cliffhangers low eh?

Prd2bAmerican18 Well, one must take into account the readers' wishes. Thank you for sharing your opinion. _BalrogMan65: _Wow! I'm a slasher too. Thanks for voicing your opinion. I think he will end up being a Slytherin. No matter what, they still stick together. A liar you can trust to lie. An honest person you cannot. Hee hee… what would you think if I did a SS/HP slash in that story!! Lol. It will probably turn out to be Draco/Silvanis slash anyway. Sorry Prd2bAmerican18. I guess you will just have to miss out. 

"What… what are those"  
"What are what Draco?"

"Your… wings…?"

Silvanis turned around, catching a glimpse of the glossy black wings tucked behind him.

"Oh." He said sadly. "Come with me."

He led the way out of the room, stepping through the portrait of Salazar Slytherin and into the corridor. He walked the short distance to his father's room, mind racing with thoughts.

What now? He saw? What will Severus do to me? Will I get hurt? I'm bad. I deserve whatever he gives me. I'm just a freak, nothing more.

Draco reluctantly followed the boy, watching his wings trail along the floor, his head bowed and shoulders dropped. They were glorious wings, really. Reaching to just above his head, and trailing down to his toes, their full wingspan was about 10 feet. Draco failed to notice the gouges left in the floor where his wings trailed, but only an expert tracker, or someone who knew what they were looking for could pick them out

What does this Silvanis kid have to with my Godfather? I'm sure that Sev would never have let someone unworthy into his care. And what's with those wings? That's definitely unnatural. I wonder what his story is? How did he get to be with Sev?

--

Silvanis stopped at the other hanging portrait of Salazar, waiting patiently for him to open. A look in Draco's direction and an affirmative nod were the only things required for him to gain entry.

Severus had that period off too, so he was settled in one of the armchairs, leafing through a heavy-looking Potions manual. He looked up as Silvanis entered, head bowed, followed by a curious Draco Malfoy.

"He saw." Silvanis stated, with a flutter of his wings to show what he was talking about.

Draco, who at that point had stopped admiring the room, fixed his godfather with a glare and only spoke one word. "Explain."

Severus just sighed, and began his tale of the November night for a second time. His son, who had heard it all before, sat, curled in one of the other armchairs, with his eyes downcast. He listened to Severus, who left out any mention of Harry and Lily Potter, only saying that one of the women had a child, which incidentally turned up here and suck.

"So… so you're really a Death Eater, Sev?" Draco asked quietly, pleading with his eyes for Severus to say no.

"Yes" was Severus' simple reply.

To watch the hope in Draco's eyes die was a horrible thing to witness. Silvanis, forgotten, got out of his seat and went over to Draco, lifting up his chin so he could look into his teary eyes.

"That's not all of it. Is it father?"

Severus' heart jumped at the word, feeling an unfamiliar warmth flood his veins. Silvanis didn't realise what he said, he was too caught up in staring at the floor. Even though he didn't remember, he had been taught at a younger age not to ask questions, and this stayed with him even through his memory loss.

"No, Silvanis, it's not. Are you sure you need Draco to hear this?" He asked.

"Yes." Silvanis replied.

"To put it simple, Draco, I am a spy for the Light. No matter what will happen, I will always be your godfather and you will always have a place here if the need be. I know of your decision, and that is why I am telling you all of this. You can be trusted, for deep within you, buried under all the Malfoy teachings, there is a pure heart."

By this time Severus had risen from his chair, walking over to Draco and kneeling beside him.

"You made the right choice, for the Light will triumph and the Dark will fall."

Draco; eyes bright with tears, nodded. He almost leapt out of his chair to give his godfather a hug.

_Hmm… I could get used to this._ Severus thought, before talking to Draco again. "You know about Silvanis, why don't you let him know about you?"

--

And so started Draco talking.

It was the end of term, and I was making fun of Potter and his friends. I realise now that the only reason I did that was because they looked such a tight-knit group, always there if one of them was in trouble. I never had friends. It was always people that knew Lucius and wanted to get on his good side.

Lucius scared away most of the friends I ever had. I remember when I was small, and I had been playing in the public gardens not too far from our Manor. There was a boy that came up to me, and we eventually became friends. The first – and only – time I invited him to the Manor, Lucius was the one who stated that as a muggle he was unfit for my company, and killed him. Point-blank, with no remorse at all. That was my friend. I could never refer to my father as 'father' after that. It was always Lucius, as if he had no relation to me. Sometimes I wished so.

I could always see the Thestrals. Being around Lucius and those stupid black Marked freaks meant that I was no stranger to death. There was always at least three people held captive in our Manor. Sometimes the screams would go on for hours, into the night, only to cease suddenly, leaving only the pitiful silence to deafen you.

I hated it. Ever since I could remember, I hated it there. I hated Lucius, I hated Voldemort, I hated it all.

But then it changed. I was sick of it. I decided that this summer was the last one I would spend letting Lucius mould me into a miniature copy of himself. I told him that I didn't want to join Voldemort; that I didn't want to grovel at the knees of a halfblood. 'A Malfoy does not grovel nor kneel for anyone'. I reminded him. He didn't take it too well.

So I was kicked out. I was sure he would have disowned me by now, but it seems that some shred of compassion is stopping him. I doubt it.

I've been living in fear ever since. Afraid he would come for me, drag me back. Afraid that he would have sent Death Eaters to kill me for being an inadequate heir. Afraid.

Maybe it was the wrong this to do. I still wonder about that. Whether I made the right decision. All I know is that I've chosen my path, and I can't turn back now. Not now, not ever. This was my choice and I made it. At least I'm free now.

--

Severus was unnerved by the way Draco was talking. A complete monotone, showing no emotion at all. He was staring at the wall as if it would change and show exactly what he had been talking about. Every moment, every secret.

Finally Draco finished talking, and seemed to snap back into reality, blinking and shaking his head. He turned to Severus, about to say something.

And was interrupted by a scream.

They whipped around, only to find Silvanis on the floor, twisting as if to get away from something only he could see.


	11. Chapter 10 Revelations

**Reviews!**

**Earendil'sgirl**: Wow. You certainly have a lot to say Þ I have to say, Silvanis would fit in both Raven and Slyth. Ravens would be good for him coz its quiet, and he needs the knowledge of what's happening. He doesn't like to be left out, to not know what's going on.

Slyths would also be good because he has the ambition to figure out what happened to him, and make the best of his situation. Cunning and being sly are also his attributes, because he has learned to be silent and to move sneakily.

So… I'm still wondering about that, but I reckon that I should put him with the quiet Hufflepuffs just because it's out of the ordinary. Lol.

Nah, the slash is definitely going through (sorry to those who don't like it) and I think Silvanis is going to stay in his dad's rooms.

**_BalrogMan65_**: I know, I would even touch that with a ten-foot barge pole unless it was to beat it with it. Lol. Don't worry. It was a bad joke… very bad. Wait for the (good) slashyness!

**Princess-Fictoria**: I know that Ron knew he was kept in the barred room, but anyone can turn their backs. If something goes against what a person believes, they will try their best to forget it, or justify it to conform to what they believe. That's what Ron has done. He's justified it to himself, saying that his Dursley relatives did it to stop an "emotionally unbalanced" Harry from getting out. Also, just because they did the DoM, doesn't mean that it formed anything. A person that stood by my side for most of my life just turned her back because I made a mistake. Also, the curse scar thing will be explained a little later on.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He was holding his head, tossing it from side to side. His eyes were closed tight, but Draco and Severus could see tears forcing their way out.

They looked at each other for a split second before rushing to Silvanis' side. "Hold his feet, stop him from moving about so much. He might hurt himself!" Severus ordered Draco.

After watching Draco grab his son's ankles and hold them tight to the floor, Severus got out his wand and Banished all the furniture near them.

That aside, he leaned back over Silvanis and held his arms down, just above the elbow so that he wouldn't fling them about and hurt himself or anyone. One of Silvanis' wings flew up and almost caught Severus by his eye, but he managed to move back in time.

He kneeled on the wing closest to him, silently apologising for any hurt he might do. The other wing was still flailing about, so he snapped at Draco to hold it down.

He flinched to hear his son scream again, an animalistic sound that reminded him of nights spent at the Dark Lord's side.

They held him down until his frantic movements calmed and he was breathing easier. Severus nodded to Draco and they slowly let go of his arms and legs. Silvanis immediate curled up in a foetal position, wrapping his wings around him and whimpering quietly.

After what seemed like an age, Silvanis opened his eyes slightly and unrolled. Both Severus and Draco could see the tear tracks on his face, two silent trails of fear and sadness. Severus sighed and helped his son sit up.

Draco joined the two, sitting next to the still sniffling boy. They sat there silently for a while, before Silvanis' soft husky voice spoke up.

"It was horrible. As soon as you started talking I could feel it. The fear. The hurt. It chilled my bones and froze my heart. It wasn't too bad at the start, but then images started coming to me. There was a large man with no neck coming at me. I knew I couldn't escape. I couldn't see any of you any more, and my mind was just filled with despair, hurt, anger and sadness. I don't know what happened, but I don't ever want to experience that again."

There were still tears running down Silvanis' face.

--

Severus just sat there, half-listening to his son, mind racing with thoughts.

He could feel it? Does he even know what that means? He's an empath. Maybe Feeling Draco triggered those memories. He was perfectly fine before that.

_Wait… the large man with no neck? I've heard of someone like that before… Hagrid! The buffoon half-giant was talking about someone like that. Desslie… Darzelly… Dursley! Harry's uncle… he must be the one that did this to him! If he remembers just a little thing like that, and it scares him to the point of a panic-attack, then who knows what any more memories will trigger?_

--

They waited there till Silvanis calmed down again. Eventually his breathing returned to normal, and his face wasn't so pale.

He was still sniffling every so often, but basically he was okay.

"Sorry about that. I didn't mean to be any trouble." He said softly.

"You're no trouble at all, to anyone, Silvanis." Severus replied.

Draco got up from his place beside Silvanis, and wandered over to the wizard clock in the corner. "Sev, did you just have a class?" he asked.

"No," Severus replied, "My next class is tomorrow."

"That's good," Draco said quietly, with a brief look towards Silvanis. "Because it's after dinnertime."

"Shit." Severus stated. He then stalked over to the fire that was burning in the hearth, grabbed a handful of Floo powder, and threw it into the grate with a quiet order. "Hogwart's kitchen!"

Instantly a House-elf appeared. "What can Dara do for you, sirs?"

Severus just sneered at the hapless elf and ordered two lunches and a light meal suitable for a person who hadn't eaten in a while.

As the elves prepared their meals, Draco and Severus helped Silvanis to the sofa.

--

They were only waiting for about a minute before the dishes appeared on a tray on the small table in front of them.

Draco and Severus ate hungrily, feeling starved by missing lunch. Silvanis just picked at his food, pushing it round and round his plate.

"May I be excused, sir?" He asked.

Severus nodded in assent. "You may. Stay out of trouble."

Silvanis just nodded and headed into his room. He curled up on the windowsill, looking at the dark water but not seeing it.

What's happening to me? Why am I changing? I don't even know what I'm changing from, or into. Why can't I just be? I don't deserve any of this. I'm just a freak. Even in this world.

--

The night wore on, and Silvanis still sat there, staring out the window. He wasn't even thinking anymore. He was just drifting. In his mind it was all white. A soft white glow that relaxed and reassured him.

_Stay safe my little Harry_

The words whirled around in his head. _Who is this Harry person? And why do I have the feeling that he's somehow connected to me?_

Silvanis' trail of thoughts were halted as a ray of light cut through the Lake outside his window and lit up his room, causing his eyes to water from the intensity of it.

He slowly left his mind, coming back to the outside world. He blinked, and looked up at the wizarding clock that adorned one of his walls. 0826. _Wow. It can't be that time… can it?_

Silvanis just shook his head and wandered through into the common room. He could see that his father wasn't up yet, so went into the kitchen. He didn't feel exhausted at all, so proceeded to make breakfast himself this time.

The kitchen had both muggle and wizarding appliances, but that wasn't a problem as anything Silvanis puzzled over soon came to mind.

Very soon Silvanis had finished the pikelets he was making, and transferred them from the frypan to one of the clean plates from the cupboard next to him. The smell was delicious, but as Severus wasn't up yet, he just put them in the oven so they wouldn't get cold.

Walking back into the common room, Silvanis sat down in one of the chairs and waited for his father to wake up.

--

Little did Silvanis know that Severus was already awake. His rest that night had been disturbed by all that had been happening, and thoughts were till whirling around in his head.

--Flashback—

"Severus, the Potter child has not been seen this term. It's very important that the Wizarding world see their 'hope'. The child is all we have protecting us from Voldemort. Gather all the information you can from student, teacher and Death Eater alike about the child. Dismissed"

Severus had stepped out the door, and cast a combined invisibility and soundless charm over himself. He stepped close to the door and listened.

"… _Master cannot know of this! If he finds out I've lost that Potter kid, then he'll attack the school. If I hadn't signed that infernal contract then I wouldn't be so helpless."_

_Severus heard a sigh before he spun and stalked back to his chambers._

_--_Flashback #2—

"Stupid asshole. He's such and attention seeker."

"_Ron! Don't use such vulgar language!"_

"_I don't care Hermione. If that Potter git hadn't have strung us along for the ride then I wouldn't have to fear for my life. Always in the shadows we were… hidden behind the great light that is the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Degrade-Others. I'm never seen, no, but I'm almost first on the 'people to kill to get at the stupid Potter kid' list. Whoop-dee!… Not."_

"_I know that it's hard to take, but with Potter gone then you can shine. My love, all I've ever wanted was you, and your happiness. Never forget that we are one."_

"_Yes, Hermione, we **are** one."_

_--_End Flashback—


	12. Chapter 11 The Gilded

Lol! Sorry for taking so long guys. With school and all it's hard to find time to let my creativity out. Here's the next chapter… over and out! snickers

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Severus knew that Granger and the Weasel had problems, but to abandon someone that would gladly die for them in a second… Suddenly he was glad Silvanis couldn't remember them.

With a sigh Severus dragged himself out of bed. Changing into black silk boxers and wrapping a dark green robe around himself, he walked to the kitchen, intending to make himself some breakfast…

Only to find Silvanis in one of the chairs in the commonroom, draped almost lazily over the armchair with one wingtip grazing the floor. Severus cleared his throat quietly, and watched Silvanis stiffen, quickly dropping his feet back to the floor.

Severus chuckled lightly and moved over to kneel next to his son, placing a finger under his chin and lifting it so he could look into Silvanis' eyes.

"It's nice to know that you feel comfortable here, Silvanis." He said with a small smile.

Silvanis hesitantly returned it, and Severus stood up, holding out a hand to his son.

"Care to join me for some breakfast?"

--

The two ate in a comfortable silence, neither needing to talk.

As Severus finished, he placed his knife and fork neatly on his plate, and looked up to address his son.

"Silvanis. Would you be willing to come out with me today? I have been excused from teaching my classes so we could go get the things you will need."

Silvanis looked up sharply. _Why would he want to get things for me? I'm just a freak._

Looking into his father's eyes, he saw no room for argument, so reluctantly nodded.

"Can… Can Draco come with us?" He asked in a rush, the 'no questions' rule still having an effect on him.

Severus didn't seem surprised by the question, but looked thoughtful before replying. "If you would like him to come, then why don't you ask him if **he** would like to."

Silvanis nodded, and stood up, gathering the dishes they had used for breakfast. A hand oh his arm stopped him, causing him to flinch and take a step back. Severus sighed, and waited for his son to calm down. "You don't have to do that. You know that Silvanis." He said.

"Dara!" Severus called.

The house-elf from the night before popped into the room in front of Severus, looking up at him with her wide eyes. "How can Dara serve you sirs?" She squeaked.

"Would you please do me the honour of looking over these rooms, Dara. Washing, cooking and such?" Severus asked. Although he didn't like house-elves, being nice to them meant that they were more willing to do more work than they had to.

"Oh yes! Dara would be happy-good to do work for sirs!" The elf exclaimed.

"Good." Severus replied. "Dismissed."

--

Severus left his chambers, trailed by his son. Silvanis was looking forward to seeing Draco again. The boy was another one of the few people he felt safe around. He couldn't explain why he felt like that, but knew that he never wanted to Draco to leave him.

Severus stopped in front of Salazar's portrait that concealed the Slytherin Commonroom. The founder had finished the purple potion Silvanis saw his making yesterday, and had started on another, this time colourless.

Salazar looked up to see Severus and Silvanis approaching, and swung open even without the password. Severus and Silvanis stepped in.

The commonroom was empty. It was still early in the morning, as Severus wanted to get an early start in Diagon Alley before the crowds set in.

Surprisingly, Silvanis lead the way up to Draco's Prefect room, stopping to knock softly on the door.

"Yeah?" A sleepy voice called out, before the two heard footsteps coming towards the door. Presently, Draco's bleary eyes and sleep-tussled hair could be seen peeking through the gap where he opened the door, and it was flung open, revealing Draco Malfoy in all his pyjama-clad glory.

Pink-faced, he turned away from them and hurried to the closet, quickly throwing on a pair of black slacks and a silvery-grey button-up shirt.

He gave them a quick grin before disappearing into the bathroom to freshen up.

"I assume there was a reason for your visit, Godfather." He said cheekily.

Severus snorted. "Potions classes are cancelled today. I have been given permission to take Silvanis to Diagon Alley to purchase his requirements. He requested your presence. Are you willing to accompany us?"

At the sound of his name, Silvanis looked up from where he was gazing around Draco's room. He glanced at Draco, who had finished in the bathroom and was looking his normal, groomed self. _He looks nice._ Silvanis thought.

Draco caught Silvanis' eye, who looked down as he realised he was staring at the pale boy. Rustling his wings, he nodded to Draco. "I wouldn't mind it if you did come." He said shyly.

Draco smiled softly. "I would be delighted to accompany you."

--

They set out after stopping in at Severus' chambers to pick up their cloaks. It was overcast outside, the grass squeaking underfoot as they made their way over the Hogwarts grounds in the bleak morning light.

Severus stopped the two boys just outside the majestic gates of Hogwarts. He riffled through his robes and pulled an obsidian ingot from one of the inner pockets.  
"Portkey. It's much quicker and less of a security hazard for a Professor and two students." He said.

Silvanis sighed. He had an apprehensive feeling about taking a Portkey, almost like it was going to be extremely unpleasant, even though he was positive he had never experienced one before. He laid a finger on the cool stone.

Draco followed suit, giving Silvanis a small comforting smile that warmed him inside.

"Activate."

They were off.

--

It wasn't long after the giant hook pulled them by their navels that they stopped, Silvanis and Draco falling ungracefully into a heap on the ground whilst Severus only just managed to keep his footing. "Damn I hate those things Sev." Draco whined.

Silvanis managed a brief smile at Draco's antics. He sounded like a petulant child who didn't want to eat his vegetables.

Severus just smirked good-naturedly. (If such a thing was possible for Severus Snape)

--

Severus led the way to Gringotts Goblin Bank. Silvanis couldn't help but stare at the surroundings. There weren't many people around, which he was very thankful for, but oh the shops! There was just a jumble of stores and markets everywhere. Silvanis wished he had eyes all around his head so he could look at everything instead of just craning his neck to stare around.

Severus smiled inwardly at his son's amazement, and watched Draco crack a smile as Silvanis bumped into him, paying more attention to the shops than to where he was going.

They arrived at the entrance to Gringotts. It was large, to say the least. Silvanis had never seen that much gold in his life, much less in one place on one door.

--

"Can I help you?" The goblin almost snarled. It was an ugly creature, short and squat with a long beak-like nose and spindly fingers.

"Griphook!" Silvanis exclaimed before slapping his hands over his mouth with a terrified look.

Severus took in his son's face. He was tense, expecting to be hit at any second. Severus sighed and knelt down to his son's level. "Silvanis. You have done nothing wrong. I will not strike you, nor hurt you in any way. Understand?"

He wrapped his arms around Silvanis in a gentle embrace.

The look of fear slowly drifted off Silvanis' face as his fathers words sunk in and Draco stepped up to rub his back in a comforting gesture.

The goblin cleared its throat loudly and the three disentangled themselves and turned to face it.

"Yes, Child, my name is Griphook." The goblin said with a trace of what seemed like respect in its voice.

"There are few who would remember the name of one of the Gilded, although I do not recollect meeting you."

The respect was strong in its voice now, and there was something akin to admiration shining in its eyes.

Silvanis stood tall before the goblin, Griphook, and nodded to it. "I cannot remember meeting you either, but I cannot remember a lot, so that is no account of truth."

Severus watched the exchange with curiosity. _Who were the 'Gilded' the goblin was speaking of? And how did his son know this creature?_

Griphook must have seen the questions in his eyes, and turned his gaze to Severus. "The Gilded is the ancient name given to our race, although human- and wizardkind has forgotten that all creatures used to live side by side, in harmony and equality. It is a sad day that has the 'pureblood' throwing their twisted corruptions around, seeing all others as inferior."

"But that is neither here nor there. What may I help you with?" He asked.


	13. Chapter 12 The Alley

Severus regarded the goblin – the Gilded – in a new light. "Would it be imprudent to ask if we could step into a private room to conduct our business?" He inquired.

Griphook smiled – a rather frightening thing on a goblin – and led the party of three off to the left of the Bank, where a long hallway had been built.  
The hallway stretched out for as long as Silvanis could see before turning a corner.

After a few minutes walking, Griphook stopped in front a nondescript door. "In here, gentlemen."  
Draco and Severus look at each other. It was very rare for a wizard to be given the respect of a title, even if it was only 'gentlemen'.

--

After stepping into the room, the three could tell that although Griphook was seen frequently at the teller section of the Bank, he was not just a guide for wizards wanting to visit their fortunes.  
Griphook's office was lavish. Gold walls adorned with expensive-looking ornaments and priceless artifacts reflected the light from the crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling.  
Severus idly wondered if it was in fact diamond and not crystal.

A not-so-quiet barking cough caught the party's attention. Draco and Silvanis blushed at being caught staring at the wealth, but Severus managed to quickly mask his embarrassment before it showed on his face.

"If we could get down to business please gentlemen." Griphook started, "What did you have in mind when you asked for my assistance this fine morning?"

Severus glanced at the other two boys and cleared his throat to reply. "I wished to open a new account from my own to reside under the ownership of one Silvanis Alexander Snape."

His sentence was met with two astonished expressions from Draco and Silvanis, but only one of cool stone from the goblin across from him.

--

Griphook quickly retrieved the required papers from apparently nowhere, and filled them out with a regal-looking eagle-feather quill. "Initial amount?" He asked.

Severus replied without looking at either of the boys. "Four thousand Galleons"

Draco's eyes bugged out. He knew that was a lot of money. Silvanis thought that it sounded like a large amount. He wasn't quite sure, not remembering any sort of currency or conversion of these 'Galleons', but four thousand of them must be a lot.

Filling out the files took less time than any of the three had thought, and once they had been signed, the three were given what might have been a smile, but on a goblin it looked more like a 'move-and-I'll-eat-you' grimace.

Severus, Draco and Silvanis quickly left Gringott's, glad to be out in the open air of Diagon Alley.

--

Silvanis couldn't stop looking around. It seemed that one needed eyes in the back and sides of their head just to see everything. Severus led them away from the bank, stopping to one side of the street, out of everyone's way. Turning to look at Draco and Silvanis, he gave both of them a quick glance before speaking.

"We have almost the rest of the day to spend here, so do not be concerned that you will not get to see it all. That old coot Albus has_graciously_ given me leave to escort you into Muggle London as well." He told the boys.

Draco and Silvanis looked at each other before nodding, wide grins on their faces.

"Good." Severus said. "Now, stay close to me and if you get lost, exit the store and stand to one side of the door. Do not, under any circumstances, go wandering about without myself."

The boys nodded again, only slightly subdued. Severus strode off, long legs setting a fast pace the boys had to trot to keep up with.

--

Severus was fast and efficient. They quickly covered the whole of the Alley, getting school supplies, quills and textbooks, as well as visiting Madame Malkin's robe store for Silvanis' attire.  
Draco just enjoyed spending the day away from Hogwarts, nudging Silvanis with his shoulder every now and then to point out interesting places and people as they passed.

Severus kept a close eye on the two, having to suppress a smile at times as he saw Silvanis become more open and a little more relaxed in Draco's company.

_Draco is definitely having a good effect on Silvanis. I wonder if I can wrangle Draco into moving into the Head Boy's room. It is much closer to my quarters and Silvanis will not have to traipse through the Slytherin common room to visit Draco._

Severus was by no means uniformed about the slightly dark nature of his house. They were good students, but most only thought for themselves. It seemed cunning and ambition came with a paranoia that everyone was out to get you, which in some cases turned out to be true.

Turning to look at Draco and Silvanis, he watched his son's eyes light up with suppressed laughter as Draco pointed out a wizard coming through the brick portal dressed in a Muggle skirt-suit. Shaking his head, Severus herded the boys to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

"Sit. Order." He said with a small smile on his face, not that he'd ever admit he smiled.

Draco and Silvanis looked at each other before scrambling into the booth, knocking into each other in their haste to slide across. Severus handed them both a menu, perusing one himself.

_Hmm… What to order from the juvenile establishment… Maybe just a coffee and a fruit salad, methinks._

Draco and Silvanis had very different thoughts.

_Wow. There's such a big selection here! Hmm… Banana split? No… too cliché. Plain ice-cream? No… too lame. Oh! Here! A sundae! Now… what flavor…_

Severus tugged on the boys' menus. "Have we decided?" he asked. Draco nodded. "Yes Sev. I've decided that I will choose to consume the delight that is a Super Chocolate Sundae. With nuts, please."  
Silvanis sniggered at Draco's embellishments. Nudging Draco with his shoulder, he glanced at Severus, "The same please." He said quietly, figuring that if Draco was allowed one, it was okay for him to have one too.  
Severus raised an eyebrow at the boys. "I suppose I will concede to your whims, oh great Mister Draco and Silvanis."  
With a smirk that left the two boys snickering in their seats, Severus strode off to order.


End file.
